Before installing their GSHP, the Priors’ 1975, 2,100-squarefoot home relied on fuel oil for space and water heating. A heat pump was a good solution to both stabilize energy costs and decrease the family’s reliance on non-renewable resources.

Once the Priors decided to make the switch, their home’s envelope was assessed for ways to increase the home’s efficiency and heat retention. The assessment encouraged them to add insulation in the attic. Additionally, they had their ducts inspected, and found they could upgrade their system to move air more efficiently, thus decreasing the size of the heat pump needed.

The entire heat-pump installation—digging and drilling for the loops—took two days. The drilling process includes:

Determining bore pattern. The drilling must be strategically laid out to avoid obstacles such as septic systems, utility lines, property boundaries, and boulders.

Drilling. Most GSHP installers hire contractors to drill according to specifications. When choosing a company to install your GSHP, ask about its relationship with drillers.

Fill and rough grade. After the ground loop is laid, the ground is filled and leveled back to original.

After drilling, a team of heat pump installers put in the air handler and GSHP in about three days.